The Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VPB) was created by the mergers of the Departments of Veterinary Pathology and Veterinary Microbiology. VPB is an integral component of the College of Veterinary Medicine that provides a unique and critical link between the basic and clinical sciences. Our mission is to acquire, advance and disseminate knowledge in the fields of pathology, parasitology, microbiology, immunology, comparative medicine, genetics and related disciplines that will ultimately lead to better diagnosis, control and prevention of animal and human diseases and to provide training of the next generation of researcher scientists. We integrate this knowledge into the teaching, research and service programs within the college and across our campus.
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology
News
Beerntsen Named Interim Department Chair
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Carolyn J. Henry has named Brenda Beerntsen, PhD, interim chair of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. Beerntsen is a professor of veterinary pathobiology. She teaches parasitology and her research focuses on mosquito-parasite interactions and vector-pathogen relationships. Recently her work has emphasized the genetics of mosquito vector competence for filarial worms. She has also been involved, in conjunction with other MU researchers, in the initiation of a mosquito and tick surveillance program in regions of Missouri. She will replace George Stewart, PhD, who has held the post since Jan. 1, 2006. Stewart, the…
MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Achieves Level 1 Status
The Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) at MU’s College of Veterinary Medicine has moved up in class. “The VMDL is now a Level 1 Laboratory in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN),” says Shuping Zhang, PhD, MS, DACVM, director of the VMDL. Established in June 2002 with the passage of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act, NAHLN is a nationally coordinated network of federal, state, and university-associated laboratories that provide animal health diagnostic testing to detect biological threats to the nation’s food animals, thus protecting animal health, public health, and the nation’s…
USDA Grants MU $460,000 to Develop Immunizations for Tick-Borne Disease
New study targets bovine anaplasmosis, a major disease in cattle Anaplasmosis is an infectious blood disease in cattle caused by certain bacteria transmitted by ticks worldwide. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded $460,000 to Bill Stich, professor of parasitology in the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, to study a new approach to interfering with this pathogen in the tick vector. Building on existing research, he and his team are working to develop immunizations with extracts from tick tissues to fight the disease. It has been estimated that more than 80 percent of beef cattle are affected by ticks. Anaplasmosis, which…
Rare Feline Genetic Disorders Identified Through Whole Genome Sequencing at MU
Findings could help feline preservationists implement breeding strategies for rare species Whole genome sequencing (WGS), which is the process of determining an organism’s complete DNA sequence, can be used to identify DNA anomalies that cause disease. Identifying disease-causing DNA abnormalities allows clinicians to better predict an effective course of treatment for the patient. Now, in a series of recent studies, scientists at the University of Missouri are using whole genome sequencing through the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Consortium to identify genetic variants that cause rare diseases, such as progressive retinal atrophy and Niemann-Pick type 1, a fatal disorder in…
MVMA Honors CVM’s Vogelweid for Volunteerism
MU College of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Professor Catherine Vogelweid, DVM, PhD, was honored during the 2017 Missouri Veterinary Medical Association Convention with the Dr. William A. Wolff Volunteerism Award. Vogelweid, who has been with the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology since 2004, is a member of the Missouri Volunteer Veterinary Corps. As a member of the Corps, she was deployed to Joplin following the 2011 tornado, where she provided veterinary care for dogs and cats in the mass care shelter. In 2014, she was instrumental in organizing the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Program in partnership with Boone County Fire and…
The MU College of Veterinary Medicine is Missouri’s only institution that confers the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Thank you for exploring how you can partner with us to make a positive difference in the lives of animals and people.